Russia accuses West of Syria 'blackmail'

Russia on Monday defiantly slammed the West for using "blackmail" over a new UN Security Council resolution on Syria and ridiculed the idea it could convince President Bashar al-Assad to step down.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei LavrovPhoto: EPA

By Louis Dumenil and agencies

5:28PM BST 16 Jul 2012

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the West of making an extension of the UN observers mandate in Syria conditional on Russia agreeing sanctions against Damascus.

"To our great regret, we are witnessing elements of blackmail," Mr Lavrov said ahead of talks with UN-Arab League Syria envoy Kofi Annan in Moscow.

"We are being told to either agree to the approval of a resolution that includes Chapter 7 (which provides for possible sanctions), or (the others will) refuse to extend the mandate of the observer mission.

"We view this as a completely counterproductive and dangerous approach,"

The French foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Valero responded to Mr Lavrov's comments on Monday by saying the next UN resolution "must be accompanied by the threat of sanctions".

Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State, has accused Russia and China – which also has a veto on the Security Council – of blocking a settlement, saying they should "get off the sidelines" and help.

The looming diplomatic clash at the United Nations comes ahead of a Friday deadline for the end of the current three-month mandate of the UN observer mission in Syria.

Annan arrived on Monday evening for an informal working dinner with the Russian foreign minister. Neither he nor Lavrov spoke to journalists before going inside for the dinner, the RIA Novosti news agency reported.

Annan is due to meet President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday as his peace plan to end the violence continues to disintegrate amid escalating killings.